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Hi all.

Back from a little hiatus. So much to talk about. I won't get into the debates, or into the SNL Palin/Fey thingies. You've probably heard about it all and talked about it all ad nauseum.

So, let's see what I have for you today.

Oh, hey, let's talk about Joe the Plumber. Is this guy a douche, or what? It is impossible to get away from the internet, when you get thrust into the spotlight as this guy has. First, he was complaining about purchasing a busin... wait, watch the clip.



So, from this clip you'd have to believe that he's either close to making $250,000 a year... or he is.

Well, he's not. And now, word is, he's not even a licensed plumber.

If you saw last night's debate, you'll remember the two dozen or so 'Joe the Plumber' references. Well, the news is, now, that this guy's just a moron, and anything of substance that he tried to say has gone down the toilet.

DOWN THE TOILET!

Ahhh... that was funny.

It's very difficult to look at this situation, and this man, in a different light than the one I'm living under at the moment. At the most, in my life, I've made, in one year's salary, about one quarter of $250,000. That's the most I've ever made, in one year. And I have a marketable skill which should, in a better economy, be making me at least $90k. I've been looking for work now, steady, full time graphic design work, for over 1 year. I have sent out over 300 resumes in that time. Way over, in fact. I have three different head hunters working for me. And the fact is that there just isn't enough around.

The other fact is, there are more graphic designers and web designers in NYC than there are lawyers. I recently got an email from a company that has taken almost one month to go through the resumes they received for a part-time designer position. And I'm one of 12 people who fit the bill. We'll see how that goes.

But my problem with Joe is that, when the video first came out, he was concerned with paying an additional 3% in taxes on what would amount to $20,000 dollars. I say $20k because he initially said his business would be making about $270k or so.

So, from 36% to 39%, he's concerned about paying about $600 additional on that $20,000.

Well. First off, the majority of the people in this country don't even take home $600 a week! Secondly, he wouldn't get taxed any different for the $250k. Third... he's living in OHIO! He's not living in NYC, or LA, or some other city where the cost of living is so high that it would affect him thus... and I have news for you, I'm in NYC, and that $600 would not affect me one single bit. If I was making $250k a year, I would consider myself rich. Not to mention my girlfriend could lose her job and we'd still be ok, AND I could help my mom and sister out with the family business.

See, all of this is pre-information on Joe. Now we find out he's not making even remotely that much money, he was just bragging and talking out of his ass. Then we find out he's not even a licensed plumber. And then we find that the plumbers union is pissed at him... I mean, jesus christ. Can anyone make this stuff up? It's a joke!

Forget this guy. He's a blip, and it backfired severely, except for middle America, where they obviously don't know or care about the internet. Like these people that Al-Jazeera interviewed:



Or these people in Ohio:



Jesus, Ohio. What the hell happened to you?

Sometimes it's great to be an American. And sometimes it's embarrassing.

For those of you who are still paying ridiculous prices for gas, well guess what? Oil is down to $70 a barrel.. PLEASE, contact your local government officials and tell them that enough is enough.

Links are on the left. No excuse not to use them.